McKinzie Street © Benoit Photo
TOP TWO-YEAR-OLD COLTS CLASH IN G3 BOB HOPE SUNDAY
It’s back to the graded stakes action at Del Mar Sunday with the 44th running of the G3 Bob Hope, a seven furlong sprint on the main track for 2-year-olds. It’s the 11th running at Del Mar. It used to be called the Hollywood Prevue when it was run at Hollywood Park.
A six-pack of talented juveniles are set to go in the race, one of whom ran in this summer’s G1 Del Mar Futurity.
McKinzie Street ran second that day, runner-up to Gaming but beat eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Citizen Bull by four lengths. A month later, in the G1 American Pharoah at Santa Anita, McKinzie Street ran third behind Citizen Bull and Getaway Car. Still, trainer Tim Yakteen considered running in the Juvenile but decided otherwise.
“We were looking at going in the Bob Hope and then the Los Alamitos Futurity and I felt that trying to do all three would be a big ask. So we freshened him up a little bit. It’s worked well for us in the past and we’re hoping to have a similar result.”
McKinzie Street is cutting back from a mile and one sixteenth to seven furlongs, the same distance as the Futurity.
“I think that still has yet to be determined if he’s a one turn horse or a two turn horse,” Yakteen notes. “He’s run well for us going one turn. His Del Mar Futurity was a really good race.”
As to be expected the path to the winners circle goes through Bob Baffert. He brings two promising colts to the Bob Hope. Madaket Road will be making his career debut in the graded stakes
“I entered him in a maiden race last week and it didn’t fill,” Baffert says. “He’s been working well and I need to get races into these horses. It is a big jump but I think he’s a nice horse and at least I’ll get a race into him.”
The other Baffert horse is Kalea Bay, a chestnut colt by Authentic. After falling short in two maiden races at Del Mar this summer, he broke through with an 8 ½ length victory at Santa Anita last out.
Trainer Michael McCarthy brings Bullard, a son of Gun Runner, to the Bob Hope. He broke his maiden at first asking at Del Mar back in September and beat Kalea Bay that day.
“I didn’t think we could get a one mile allowance race to go,” McCarthy says of his decision to step Bullard up to a Grade 3. “I wanted to take my time with him after he won. He’s trained well and he’s had a race over the track. Timing-wise I thought this fit nicely into his schedule.”
Maximus is another one worth a look. He broke his maiden at first asking by 9 ¼ lengths at Santa Anita last month for trainer Cesar DeAlba. He’s been training at Los Alamitos and has fired two bullet works leading up to the race.
The G3 Bob Hope, named after the popular actor and comedian who was a pal of Bing Crosby’s and a regular at Del Mar in the early days, is the eighth race on Sunday’s nine-race card. Probable post time is 4 p.m.
Here’s the field from the rail with the jockeys and the morning line odds: McKinzie Street (Kazushi Kimura, 2-1); Dr Ruben M (Edwin Maldonado, 20-1); Kalea Bay (Juan Hernandez, 9/5); Madaket Road (Antonio Fresu, 10-1); Bullard (Umberto Rispoli, 8/5) and Maximus (Diego Herrera, 15-1).
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO START: SERAFIN CARMONA, APPRENTICE AT 37
The Del Mar jockey colony is constantly evolving. It’s an all-inclusive mix of people, nationalities and ages. Some are Hall of Famers, some are future Hall of Famers and others are journeyman. But never, to most people’s recollection, has there ever been a 37-year-old apprentice.
Until now.
Serafin Carmona is the latest addition to the Del Mar jockey colony and he comes in as many new jockeys do. As an apprentice. But most apprentices are in their teens and early 20s. Carmona is 37-years-old.
“I’ve been going to Del Mar for quite a few years as an exercise rider,” Carmona notes. “For me, it’s one of the best tracks I’ve ever been to.”
Serafin started riding horses when most jockeys are beginning their apprenticeships.
“I finished high school and went one year to college,” Carmona says. “One day my uncle, (former jockey) Omar Berrio, calls me and asks ‘What are you doing and how much do you weigh?’ He asked me if I wanted to go to the racetrack and learn how to ride. The next day I’m at the track.”
That was in 2006. Serafin went to the jockey school in Panama in 2007 and was in the same class as Luis Saez, Ricardo Santana and Abel Lezcano. In 2010 he arrived in the U.S and landed a job in California.
“I worked 10 months at a farm riding babies in Temecula because I didn’t think I was ready for the track,” Carmona admits. “Then one day I just showed up at Santa Anita. I worked for different people. David Hofmans was my first solid job. Then I worked for Simon Callaghan for four years.”
Carmona was galloping horses and content in his life. Before he knew it, 10 years had passed him by.
“I had reached a point I was settled in my life,” Carmona replies. “I had a kid. I didn’t need anything. I always had it in my heart (to be a jockey) but you think that maybe they won’t give me a chance.”
He was with trainer Kristi Mulhall when he decided it was time to start pursuing his dream. This was last year.
“I told her ‘I’m not going to Del Mar this year,’” Carmona says. “I didn’t want to tell people I was going to ride because I always had it inside me that I was old. So I went to Canterbury where nobody knew about me. I rode a few races and then went to Delta Downs (in Louisiana) but they didn’t give me a shot.”
So he packed up his tack and went to New Orleans.
“I went to Fair Grounds with zero wins,” Carmona states. “You know how hard it is to go there as a bug boy? It’s like, ‘Who is this guy?’ But they helped me a lot. I was riding every day, two or three races. They gave me shots and that’s where I won my first race.”
It was on a $15,000 claimer named Keys Included on January 28. He rode 83 races in 2023 without a winner. He’s ridden over 500 in 2024 and, as of today, has 74 winners. He’s had 29 starts at Del Mar this fall with three scores. He had six mounts on Friday.
“When I came here (to Del Mar) it was my agent’s idea,” Carmona insists. “We took it a step at a time. We went to Santa Anita and won three races and we decided to try Del Mar. We came to visit and people were saying ‘You’ve been winning.’ I was surprised they had been watching. It was a shock really.”
Carmona plans to finish the meet here at Del Mar and then return to Fair Grounds for their winter meet.
“I always try to keep my feet on the ground,” Carmona adds. “I’m a shy guy. I don’t like flash. But it was a good feeling to get all the support after working here for so many years.”
DEL MAR TO PROVIDE THANKSGIVING DINNER FOR BACKSIDE WORKERS
Del Mar’s highly successful Backstretch Worker’s Meal program continues this fall. Each race day from 4 p.m. until six, grooms, hot walkers, stable hands and other qualified workers on the backside can get a piping hot meal at the track cafeteria, which has been relocated to the north end of the horse arena for the fall meet.
Just because there is no racing on Thanksgiving Day doesn’t mean the workers will have no meal. Del Mar is planning to serve a traditional turkey dinner from 12:30 p.m. until two at the Arena location.
“We looked into how many owners and trainers were going to be shipping-in so we’re doing traditional on Thursday,” Del Mar’s Sue Walls says. “It’s a midday meal. We’re expecting about 200 people. It’s a come one, come all for family and employees.”
Then on Friday, November 29, racing resumes and so will the Backstretch Worker’s Meals until the end of the meet.
Del Mar is the only track in the U.S. to provide race day meals. The program is in its second year at the seaside oval.
COOLING OUT: Trainer Richard Mandella reports this morning that Tamara came out of her nose defeat Friday in good order. It will be back into graded stakes company next time. Mandella plans to point his daughter of Beholder to the G1 La Brea the day after Christmas…The winner of Friday’s allowance race featuring Tamara was also making her first start in over a year. Sandy Bottom came out of her wire-to-wire victory “Looking very good,” according to trainer Michael McCarthy. It appears we’re in for a rematch between Sandy Bottom and Tamara later this year. McCarthy says he also will point his daughter of Omaha Beach to the G1 La Brea December 26 at Santa Anita…Del Mar fans can get themselves a giant splash of color by heading up to the second floor of the Clubhouse any racing day from now to the end of the meet. Equine artist and the maven of big and bright – Heather Roddy – along with many of her delightful pieces – is back on the scene…Notable work on Saturday: Dirt – Speedy Wilson (4f, :47.60).